Belgian parents are sentenced to prison for not vaccinating children

Two sets of parents in Belgium who refused to have their children vaccinated against polio, which is compulsory under Belgian law, were convicted earlier this month. Each parent was fined €5500 (£4100; $8000) and sentenced to five months in prison.

In an interview with the BMJ the presiding judge, Bart Meganck of the Court of First Instance in the Flemish city of Dendermonde, said that the parents failed to appear for the 4 February court date. He therefore convicted them on the basis of police reports. He suspended the prison sentences pending whether or not …